Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-23
EXPLOSIONS OF NAPTHA
SEVERAL ROCHESTER FIGURING
MILLS SHATTERED AND BURNED.
4 Serie of Explosions Terrifying the
People-The Sewers on Fite for Rod
-Four Men Killed, and 20 Injured.
Caused by Leaky Pipes

ROCHESTER, y. Y, Dec. 21.-There was
a atrrr.tic explosion in front ot the Poole
flour mill on Mill street shortly before
$3.50 p. 'n., and few seconds after another
followed, then others in rapid succession
Instantly flames burst from the Poole
mill, a.I the rear walls fell in The hse
burned with great fury Although the
worEu-u FASTENED out it is feared soma
must ure perished IN the tlames. Ia a
lew uGu,c- the Washington mill adioju-
nL we, J.o on fire. one workman Jump
ed .I.I the third story Of the Poole mill
und Vi- severely injured. Another es
cap 10y jumping into race.
TIy cause Of the explosion was that the
sewer 10 The vicinity were filed naptha.
To-day 1l,0OO gallons of naptha was pump.
ed from the Vacuum OIL works, through
the pipe line in the bed of the old canal.
1t VA intended for the municipal
gas company. One Or more breaks in the
line allowed the napthl to escape into the
adjpiniug sewers. When the sewers be-
came surCharged with gas il escaped into
the mills and exploded and made its way
through the mains in the middle of the
streets, throwing out the mauhOle cover.
and tearing up the rOadwavS in the vi
cinity of the fire. | p Mil and State
streets as far rs Market street, three-quar-
ters of mile, people were driven in every
direction, terrified by the explosions The
explosion continued at such frequent in
tervals the first half hour ne one could
approach the fire. Women and children
were running around crying, thinking of
their brothers, husbands or other rela
tiYes were in the mill and burned.
! It's not known how many persons were
at work or how many escaped. One wa,
seen to jump from the second story to the
river bank below, 80 feet. His right leg
was broken and he received severe inter
nal injuries.
The walls of the jefferson mill fell il
about O'Clock 1t is feared several mer
We're buried under them. The engineer
OF the Clinton mill and two companions
standing near the front of the mill wher
the first explosion occurred, retained Suili
cient presence OF mind to shut Off tn,
steam and get out of the mill. Six per
sons were at work in the Clinton null anC
four escaped through the waterwheel.
AT II 30 the fire was under control. The
explosions ceased at $3.50 and no more dan
ger is apprehended from them. The eX
plosions covered wide extent of terri
tory. A great deal of paving around tn
manholes was torn up, and windows wer
shattered in many buildings in the vicinity
The tunnel through which the burnin;
naptha flowed for several hours is tn
largest sewer in the city and is the outle
on the west side. How badly damageC
this is cannot be estimated
The total damage by fire cannot b
closely determined. The Washington
mill was valued at $4,000; insurance
$35, 600 Jefferson mill, valued S60, 900
insurance, s25,000; Clinton mill alon
valued at S65, ,000 insurance, $4,000 Tn
Clinton mill was fairly loaded with bar
rels of flour and grain in stock, estimated
at 81, 900 to $4,000: Washington mil
contained about 1900 barrels of -four an,
1000 bushels of wheat, valued at sl0,0OC
mostly total loss.
At midnight it is believed four person
were killed, Fred Wilson, f. A. Webster
Abram Rogers and John Lee. Roger
was millwright, was injured by fallin!
walls, and died tonight. Wilson wa
part owner of the Shawmut mills and wa
killed by flying stone. Webster was look
ing at a manhole, when the walls of tn,
jefferson mills fell on him. He died thi
evening. The injured number at least y